UGU COMMUNITIES SUBMIT URGENT PETITION TO EDO STATE ASSEMBLY THROUGH HON. BRIGHT IYAMU
Orhionmwon, Edo State – April 12, 2025
In response to a violent and deadly assault allegedly carried out by armed Fulani herdsmen on several villages in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, the UGU Youths for Developmental Change (UYDC) have submitted an urgent petition to the Edo State House of Assembly, seeking immediate intervention.
The petition was received by Hon. Bright Iyamu, member representing Orhionmwon South Constituency, who has pledged to present the matter formally during the next plenary session of the Assembly.
According to the petitioners, the attack occurred on April 4, 2025, and led to the death of several individuals, widespread destruction of farmlands, and the theft of agricultural produce. The UGU communities lamented that this tragic event is only the latest in a long series of violent encounters that have gone largely unaddressed by authorities.
Community leaders and youth representatives, under the UYDC platform, detailed four major grievances in their petition:
- Encroachment by grazing cattle on farmlands;
- Use of firearms and machetes by herders against defenseless farmers;
- Lack of sustained security presence in the affected areas;
- Delayed and inadequate response by government and security agencies during previous incidents.
They called for the full enforcement of Edo State’s Anti-Open Grazing Law, an immediate ban on herders within Ugu communities, and the legal recognition of a local vigilante outfit to work in synergy with existing law enforcement agencies.
Among other demands were the strategic deployment of security personnel, the initiation of a judicial inquiry to identify and prosecute perpetrators, and developmental projects such as the construction of a motorable road linking Iguelaba to Orogho, and the establishment of a government-run game center to improve recreational access and security monitoring.
The petitioners cited Sections 14(2)(b), 33(1), and 41 of the Nigerian Constitution, arguing that the government is constitutionally obligated to safeguard citizens’ security, right to life, and freedom of movement.
Hon. Iyamu assured the communities of his commitment to ensuring their voices are heard, stating that the matter deserves urgent legislative attention and concrete policy action to prevent further loss of lives and livelihoods in the region.
The petition is expected to spark heated deliberations within the House, as lawmakers consider legislative and budgetary interventions to address the crisis and fortify rural communities across Orhionmwon against similar threats.
